Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how much funding has been allocated through the Tree Production Capital Grant in each funding round since the scheme’s inception.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

The Tree Production Capital Grant was launched in 2022. The total value of funding allocated through signed grant agreements in each financial year is as follows:

• 2022/23: £1,509,374
• 2023/24: £2,871,833
• 2024/25: £2,938,397
• 2025/26: £1,953,960
• Total: £9,273,564

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on 13 May 2026.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

No. I refer the Hon Member to the exchange of letters between the Prime Minister and the former Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, published on gov.uk

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent formal consultation his Department has undertaken with Approved Driving Instructors and their representative bodies regarding the standards check system.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

When the current standards checks system was implemented in 2014, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducted a full consultation. The system has not changed and, therefore, there has been no formal consultation since those changes.

The current process is designed in a way that any and all approved driving instructors (ADI) could be called for a standards check at any time by DVSA. When called for a standards check ADIs must demonstrate their ability to teach pupils as set out in the national standard for driver and rider training.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the fairness and accuracy of the current standards check system for Approved Driving Instructors.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

When the current standards checks system was implemented in 2014, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) conducted a full consultation. The system has not changed and, therefore, there has been no formal consultation since those changes.

The current process is designed in a way that any and all approved driving instructors (ADI) could be called for a standards check at any time by DVSA. When called for a standards check ADIs must demonstrate their ability to teach pupils as set out in the national standard for driver and rider training.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will set out a timetable for local government reorganisation in Lancashire.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The government remains committed to the indicative timetable published in July 2025. Proposals for Lancashire were received by 28 November 2025 and were subject to statutory consultation from 5 February 2026 to 26 March 2026. The Secretary of State is considering the proposals against the published criteria, together with consultation responses and other relevant information, with a decision expected on which proposals will be implemented before the summer recess. Legislation will then be laid to provide for elections to new councils in May 2027 and a go live date for those new councils of April 2028.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress his Department has made on providing £1.5 billion funding to new gigafactories.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government has put batteries and electric vehicles at the heart of the Modern Industrial Strategy including by allocating £4 billion to 2035 for the DRIVE35 programme. DRIVE35 is supporting investment in an end-to-end EV supply chain, including gigafactories such as Agratas and AESC.

In parallel, Government continues to invest in battery R&D via the £452m Battery Innovation Programme, also launched as part of the Industrial Strategy.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of excluding independent optometry practices from participation in publicly funded eyesight testing schemes on local economic activity.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

National Health Service sight testing contracts can be held by specific individuals, including those practising in partnerships or corporate bodies meeting the requirements set out in The General Ophthalmic Services Contracts Regulations 2008.

The commissioning of enhanced eye care services falls within the scope of the Provider Selection Regime, which integrated care boards must follow when procuring healthcare services.

Question to the Leader of the House:

To ask the Leader of the House, what mechanisms are available to members of the House of Commons to scrutinise Gordon Brown in his role as the Prime Minister’s Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation.

Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Ministers have a duty to Parliament to account, and be held to account, for the policies, decisions and actions of their departments and agencies. Individual ministers are responsible and accountable to Parliament for​ the ​Direct Ministerial Appointments they make. Members have a number of mechanisms available to them to hold Ministers to account, such as oral and written questions and correspondence.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is taking to protect St Annes' Synagogue in St Annes on Sea and the Jewish community in Fylde constituency.

Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government is committed to the safety and security of Jewish communities across the UK, including Fylde, and to tackling antisemitism wherever it occurs. Everyone should feel safe to practise their faith and participate in public life free from intimidation or fear.

On 30 April, the Government announced £25 million of immediate funding for 2026/27 to strengthen policing, protect Jewish communities, and provide reassurance following the terrorist attack in Golders Green and the recent increase in antisemitic incidents. Of this, £4 million was allocated to the Jewish Community Protective Security (JCPS) Grant, bringing the total funding for the Grant to £32.4 million. This represents a record level of investment in 2026/27 to support the protection of Jewish communities. The JCPS Grant funds protective security measures at synagogues, Jewish educational institutions, and other community sites. It is administered by the Community Security Trust (CST) on behalf of the Home Office.

Whilst it would not be appropriate to comment on the arrangements for specific locations, we continue to work closely with the police, CST and other partners to monitor threats and ensure that appropriate and proportionate protective measures are in place where they are needed.

Alongside this, the Government is taking a broad, cross-government approach to tackling antisemitism in all its forms. This includes action to address online hate through the Online Safety Act, under which platforms must take steps against illegal content, as well as wider work to support communities and strengthen resilience, including through programmes such as the Common Ground, which has received a £1 million expansion to support communities and places facing the greatest risk of antisemitism.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of long-term patient relationships in community optometry on continuity of eye care for elderly patients.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

We recognise the value of providing care closer to people’s homes, including community optometry, which can support more personalised care and more continuity of care.

Integrated care boards are responsible for assessing the health needs of their local populations and for commissioning primary and secondary eye care services to meet them. Eligible patients in England can access high street National Health Service sight testing services from any provider. Patients can return to the same provider through choice, and where this is not the case, patients can give consent for their new practitioner to request relevant clinical information from another optical practice. This enables the continuation of their optometric care.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what progress the government is making to establish a returns and enforcement unit, with an additional 1,000 staff.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

Since July 2024, the Home Office has focussed on the return of failed asylum seekers, foreign criminals and immigration offenders whom the system was previously unable to progress. To support this work, the Home Office redeployed 1,000 full-time equivalent staff from across the department to establish a new returns and enforcement programme. This is focusing on delivering a major surge in immigration enforcement and returns activity to safe countries, through swift and fair decision making to remove people with no right to be in the UK, to ensure that asylum and immigration rules are respected and enforced.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers through an (a) exclusive and (b) centralised contracting model on independent community optometry practices.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

The consultation on introducing mandatory eyesight testing for older drivers closed on 11 May. The Department for Transport is currently analysing the responses, and the government response will be published once that is complete.

The logistical arrangements for carrying out any potential new eyesight tests formed part of the consultation. No decisions will be made until the responses to the consultation have been carefully considered.

Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what estimate he has made of the number of benefits payments to spouses in polygamous marriages (i) made in the past 12 months and (ii) expected to be made in the forthcoming 12 months.

Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)

The most recent published data (August 2025) from the Housing Benefit Single Housing Extract (SHBE) indicates that there are fewer than ten households where claimants are recorded as being in a polygamous marriage formed in another country. In these exceptional cases, there is no financial benefit as more would be paid in benefits if the additional person claimed as a single person.

Polygamous marriages are illegal in the UK. Immigration rules have generally prevented the formation of polygamous households in this country since 1988. Benefit support is only available where the marriage took place in a country where the practice is legal.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate her Department has made of the effect on further education colleges of increased student enrolments not being fully funded until the following financial year.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Institutions receive funding for all their students on a lagged approach, meaning the funding in each academic year is based on the number of students in the previous year. This allows the department to issue firm allocations to institutions well in advance of the start of each academic year. This also gives further education colleges and other institutions the confidence to make financial plans for the forthcoming year knowing that, if for some reason their student numbers fall, they will have time to adjust plans before funding reflects that in the following academic year.

We recognise that where an institution makes a particularly significant expansion in student numbers in a single year, cost pressures can arise. For that reason, we provide Exceptional In-Year Growth funding for institutions that grow student numbers above a certain level. We are investing £87 million to fund exceptional in-year growth for the 2025/26 academic year.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will set out the terms of reference for the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Women and Girls.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer the Hon Member to the press releases published on gov.uk, outlining the roles.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent estimate she has made of the total annual VAT payments by further education colleges in England.

Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

Education services supplied by an “eligible body” are exempt from VAT. For VAT purposes, an “eligible body” broadly refers to most regulated, publicly funded, or not-for-profit education providers. This means no VAT is charged on supplies of education made by further education colleges, nor are further education colleges able to recover the VAT they have incurred on their expenditure.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether local authorities in Lancashire will be eligible to partner with charities and independent fostering agencies when applying for funding through the Fostering Innovation Fund.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Lancashire County Council will be able to apply for the Innovation Fund as part of the Foster with Us fostering hub. The department encourages applications from areas working in partnership with other organisations, such as charities or independent fostering agencies.

The Fostering Innovation Fund, which launched on 14 May, is open for bids from Regional Care Cooperatives (RCC) and end-to-end fostering hubs, including both existing and those who, at the time of the fund launch, are applying to become an RCC or end-to-end fostering hub. Only those who have been successful in their applications to become an RCC or fostering hub will be awarded funding. Further details can be found in the application guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-innovation-fund-application-guidance

We will notify successful bidders in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, when successful applicants to the Fostering Innovation Fund will be announced.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

Lancashire County Council will be able to apply for the Innovation Fund as part of the Foster with Us fostering hub. The department encourages applications from areas working in partnership with other organisations, such as charities or independent fostering agencies.

The Fostering Innovation Fund, which launched on 14 May, is open for bids from Regional Care Cooperatives (RCC) and end-to-end fostering hubs, including both existing and those who, at the time of the fund launch, are applying to become an RCC or end-to-end fostering hub. Only those who have been successful in their applications to become an RCC or fostering hub will be awarded funding. Further details can be found in the application guidance at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fostering-innovation-fund-application-guidance

We will notify successful bidders in due course.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the equity of the pay gap between further education college lecturers and school teachers.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The statutory requirements for maintained schoolteachers' pay are set nationally subject to recommendations from the School Teachers’ Review Body. In 2024/25, the median full-time equivalent (FTE) salary for classroom teachers in secondary schools was £50,471.

Further education (FE) colleges have statutory autonomy over the pay of their staff. Colleges have the freedom to meet local technical skills needs within their own local circumstances, and the government does not set college teacher pay. In 2024/25, the median FTE salary for teachers on permanent or fixed term contracts in general FE colleges was £37,581 and £49,725 in sixth-form colleges.

FE teachers are central to delivering high-quality technical education. Last year, we announced an additional £190 million for colleges and other 16 to 19 providers to help them address the recruitment and retention of specialist FE teachers. We are providing nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 funding programme funding in the 2026/27 academic year.

Our targeted retention incentive offer is designed to retain eligible FE teachers in technical subjects with payments of up to £6,000 after tax. In its first year, nearly 6,000 teachers received a payment.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what guidance she is offering passengers whose flights are impacted by jet fuel shortages.

Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

UK airlines are clear that they are not currently seeing a shortage of jet fuel, and there is no need for passengers to change upcoming travel plans.

It is important however that passengers are aware of their rights during any disruption and that is why the Government provides guidance through its Air Passenger Travel Guide advice page. In addition to this general guidance the Government and the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) have also published specific information such as the Jet fuel and travel plans: what you need to know advice page and CAA summer travel advice page.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress has been made on the manifesto commitment to restore confidence in Government and ensure ministers are held to the highest standards.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

The Prime Minister has made clear public service is a privilege and is committed to restoring trust in government by ensuring ministers are held to the highest standards.

On taking office, the Prime Minister published a new, strengthened, Ministerial Code which sets out the standards expected of all government ministers. It includes a full articulation of the Seven Principles of Public Life, bringing the importance of public service to the front and fore of the Code.

This commitment was further demonstrated in October last year when the Prime Minister updated the Ministerial Code. This update implemented reforms in relation to ministerial severance payments and changes to the operation of the Business Appointment Rules.

Last October the Government also established the Ethics and Integrity Commission. This authoritative body and its new mandate will drive up ethical standards across the public sector and take a leading role in helping put ethics and integrity at the heart of every public sector organisation.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether any conflicts of interest assessment was undertaken prior to Gordon Brown’s appointment as Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

I refer the Hon Member to the Guidance on Making Direct Ministerial Appointments which sets out the process for making DMAs, available on gov.uk here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/direct-ministerial-appointments

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many additional police officers have been recruited since July 2024.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)

The Home Office collects and publishes data on the number of police officers, as at 31 March and 30 September each year in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales’ statistical bulletin, which can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/police-workforce-england-and-wales.

The latest data on the number of police officers in post is available in the ‘Police Workforce, England and Wales: 30 September 2025’ release here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/police-workforce-england-and-wales-30-september-2025.

Data as at 31 March each year, going back to 31 March 2007 can be found here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/697255b5a1311bdcfa0ed8f3/open-data-table-police-workforce-280126.ods. However, the growth or decline of police officers in post as at 31 March each year does not necessarily reflect the number of police officer joiners throughout the year. The change in the number of police officers in post is the result of the combined influx of police officers joining and outflow of police officers leaving.

The Home Office collects and publishes data annually on the number of police officer joiners, for the year ending 31 March only and as such, information on the number of joiners since July 2024 is not available. Data for the year ending 31 March 2026 will be published in July 2026.

Information on the number of police officers joining the police service between the years ending 31 March 2007 to 2025 can be found in the ‘Joiners Open Data Table’ here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/697255e4d8adeaf266040568/open-data-table-police-workforce-joiners-280126.ods.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed Youth Intervention Courts on rates of youth reoffending.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

On 18 May 2026, the Ministry of Justice launched an Expression of Interest process to identify potential sites for our Youth Intervention Court pilot.

In Autumn 2026, a Statutory Instrument will be brought forward to grant the youth court in our proposed pilot area(s) the powers of review for children sentenced to Youth Rehabilitation Orders (YROs). Subject to Parliamentary approval, we intend to have the first pilot site operational by Spring 2027.

The reoffending rate for children on YROs was 60% in the year ending March 2024. We plan to evaluate the pilot before determining next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, in which areas his Department plans to pilot Youth Intervention Courts.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

On 18 May 2026, the Ministry of Justice launched an Expression of Interest process to identify potential sites for our Youth Intervention Court pilot.

In Autumn 2026, a Statutory Instrument will be brought forward to grant the youth court in our proposed pilot area(s) the powers of review for children sentenced to Youth Rehabilitation Orders (YROs). Subject to Parliamentary approval, we intend to have the first pilot site operational by Spring 2027.

The reoffending rate for children on YROs was 60% in the year ending March 2024. We plan to evaluate the pilot before determining next steps.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, whether the proposed expansion of Parenting Orders will include the introduction of additional powers for courts.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

We want to ensure parents work effectively with Youth Justice Services to prevent offending and support the rehabilitation of children in the justice system. To this end, we are exploring options to drive forward the effective use of parenting orders as a credible, proportionate option, including considering whether additional powers should be available to the courts.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking to ensure youth justice reforms adequately address violence against women and girls.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Tackling violence against women and girls is a core priority for this Government and we are committed to halving it within a decade.

This Government is concerned by the growth and scale of online harms, including misogynistic content, and the role that digital platforms can play in shaping norms, relationships and behaviour at a young age.

Our VAWG Strategy is clear that preventing harm requires a whole-system response, spanning education, families, communities and public services. The youth justice system has a vital role to play, not only in responding to offending, but in identifying and addressing harmful attitudes and behaviours before they escalate. That is why the Youth Justice White Paper, ‘Cutting Youth Crime. Changing Young Lives.’, is focused on intervening earlier, and responding quickly and proportionately to emerging behaviour and attitudes.

This Government is working with youth justice services, statutory partners and specialist organisations to strengthen the system’s ability to respond robustly to harmful sexual behaviour and misogynistic attitudes.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of misogynistic online content on youth offending behaviour.

Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip

Tackling violence against women and girls is a core priority for this Government and we are committed to halving it within a decade.

This Government is concerned by the growth and scale of online harms, including misogynistic content, and the role that digital platforms can play in shaping norms, relationships and behaviour at a young age.

Our VAWG Strategy is clear that preventing harm requires a whole-system response, spanning education, families, communities and public services. The youth justice system has a vital role to play, not only in responding to offending, but in identifying and addressing harmful attitudes and behaviours before they escalate. That is why the Youth Justice White Paper, ‘Cutting Youth Crime. Changing Young Lives.’, is focused on intervening earlier, and responding quickly and proportionately to emerging behaviour and attitudes.

This Government is working with youth justice services, statutory partners and specialist organisations to strengthen the system’s ability to respond robustly to harmful sexual behaviour and misogynistic attitudes.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether former reservists subject to recall under the Armed Forces Bill will apply retrospectively to Reservists who served before the bill passed.

Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)

Former reservists who left before the Armed Forces Bill 2026 was passed will not be subject to recall retrospectively. However, those who have left service may choose to opt in to recall liability if they wish. Those personnel who are currently serving will also have the opportunity to opt-out.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what transport infrastructure projects in the 2024 Labour Party manifesto have been (a) completed, (b) commenced, (c) delayed or (d) cancelled.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The 2024 Labour Party election manifesto made the following two pledges for transport infrastructure projects.

To fix an additional 1 million potholes across England each year, funded by reallocating money from the previously cancelled A27 bypass. We are backing local highways authorities with a record multi-year investment to improve the condition of their roads, after years of them calling for long-term certainty.

In addition, to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charge points and restoring the 2030 phase-out date for the sale of new internal combustion engine cars, which has now been completed.

As of 1 May 2026, in the United Kingdom, there were:

• 120,388 public EV chargers

In the last 12 months, in the United Kingdom, there was an average of:

• 32 public EV chargers added to the network per day
• 10 public EV chargers rated rapid or above (50kW+) added to the network per day

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the growth in the use of electricity supply licence exemptions by corporate energy consumers in the last five years.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government is aware of concerns around the use of electricity supply exemptions. There is ongoing engagement with stakeholders on supply exemption transactions, particularly Class A small supply exemptions that allows generators to supply up to 5MW of electricity to commercial customers. Based on this work the Government will take a view on whether further action is required.

In the interim, the Government recently published revised guidance on the Class A exemption, to ensure that it is being used correctly.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum claims were granted to people in polygamous marriages in each of the last 12 months.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

It is government policy to prevent the formation of polygamous and polyandrous marriages in the UK. Only one spouse can be included as a dependant, with any subsequent spouses being unable to apply as a partner unless the other spouse has died or the marriage has been dissolved, in accordance with Section 2 of the Immigration Act 1988 and paragraphs 278-279 of the Immigration Rules.

There is no prescribed format of how a polygamous marriage would be recorded in an asylum claim. Therefore, the information requested is not recorded in a reportable format and could only be collated and verified for the purpose of answering this question at disproportionate cost.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with the Prime Minister on the remit of the Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation.

Answered by Rachel Blake - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

The Prime Minister’s Special Reviewer on Global Finance and Cooperation will advise on how global finance cooperation can build a stronger Britain, boosting the country’s security and resilience.

The Chancellor has a range of positive discussions with the Prime Minister and colleagues on such issues.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether libraries in Fylde constituency will benefit from future allocations from the Libraries Improvement Fund.

Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Libraries Improvement Fund is a competitive open-access capital fund for library services based in England, administered by Arts Council England. The Fund supports public libraries to upgrade their buildings and technology to meet changing needs to better serve their communities.

Round 5 opened for expressions of interest on 11 May 2026 with a deadline of midday on 5 June 2026. All applications received will be considered against the Fund’s eligibility criteria which is set out in Arts Council England’s published guidance - https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/libraries-improvement-fund-lif-round-5/libraries-improvement-fund-lif-round-5-guidance-applicants#t-in-page-nav-1

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she has taken to help reduce road deaths of (a) cyclists and (b) pedestrians.

Answered by Lilian Greenwood - Government Whip, Lord Commissioner of HM Treasury

Government is committed to making our roads safer for all users and as a consequence reducing risks to cyclists and pedestrians.

The new Road Safety Strategy sets an ambitious target to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on British roads by 65% by 2035.

This target will focus the efforts of road safety partners across Britain, with measures to improve road design, protect vulnerable road users, and review motoring offences.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of his Department's policies on energy prices for households.

Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Tackling high energy costs is a central priority for the Government. The actions taken at the Autumn Budget have helped to protect consumers today, ensuring that from 1st April to the end of June, the price cap fell by £117 per year for a typical dual fuel customer paying by Direct Debit. In addition, around 6 million families are benefitting from the expansion of the £150 Warm Home Discount. The Fuel Poverty Strategy also sets out a new plan for the Government to reduce energy costs for low-income households and lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many bus routes have been cancelled in (a) Fylde constituency, (b) North West England and (c) England since 27 October 2025.

Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)

The Department for Transport does not hold this information.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what plans he has to increase the number of specialist domestic violence courts.

Answered by Catherine Atkinson - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

This Government is committed to enhancing support for victims of domestic abuse and improving the criminal court’s response to domestic abuse cases.

We have launched Domestic Abuse Protection Orders, combining the strongest elements of other protective orders to protect victims from all forms of domestic abuse. We are introducing a domestic abuse identifier at sentencing in criminal cases to enable police, prisons and probation to more consistently identify domestic abuse offenders. In the Family Courts, we are expanding the Pathfinder pilots, which are helping to ensure that children’s voices are heard in every case, and providing access to specialist support.

In addition, as recommended by the Independent Sentencing Review, this Government is considering how to expand the use of Specialist Domestic Abuse Courts in the criminal division. We will provide an update on this work in due course.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what progress her Department has made on providing full gigabit and national 5G coverage by 2030.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The government has a target to deliver 99% gigabit broadband coverage by 2032 and an ambition for all populated areas to have access to higher quality standalone 5G coverage by 2030.

Significant progress has already been made, as reported in Ofcom’s Connected Nations Spring 2026 report. As of January 2026, 88% of UK premises can access gigabit-capable broadband, up from 82% in July 2024, and standalone 5G is available outside of 93% of premises across the UK, up from 83% in July 2025.

We have created a competition-friendly environment in areas where gigabit deployment is commercially viable, and we are focusing government funds on the remaining areas of the country where commercial deployment is unlikely. As of the end of December 2025, over 1.3 million UK premises in rural and hard to reach areas had been upgraded to gigabit-capable broadband through government funded programmes, including through Project Gigabit.

The rollout of higher quality standalone 5G is being led by commercial investment from the three mobile network operators. All three network operators have committed significant investment plans which align with this Government’s ambition, and through the Mobile Market Review we are looking to better understand how government can go further in supporting the sector to deliver widespread, high-quality connectivity.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress his Department are making towards recruiting 8,500 additional mental health staff.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

As part of our mission to build a National Health Service that is fit for the future and that is there when people need it, in February the Government delivered on its commitment to recruit an additional 8,500 mental health workers this Parliament, three years ahead of schedule.

Between 30 June 2024 and 28 February 2026, the mental health workforce has grown by 8,716 full time equivalents. Further information is available at the following link:

https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-workforce-statistics

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will make an assessment of the number of elected councillors without the right to work in the UK.

Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

The Department does not record this data and has no plans to make this assessment.

The right to work in the UK is not an explicit qualification or disqualification criteria for English local government candidacy or membership. The Electoral Commission publishes detailed guidance on qualifications and disqualifications online.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to introduce demand-led funding arrangements for further education colleges enrolling additional 16–24 year old learners in priority skills sectors.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We are providing nearly £9 billion in 16 to 19 programme funding in the 2026/27 academic year. This includes the high value courses premium to encourage and support delivery of selected study programmes and T Levels.

We recognise that where an institution makes a significant expansion in student numbers in a single year, that can cause cost pressures, so we provide exceptional in-year growth funding for institutions that grow student numbers above a certain level. We are investing £87 million to fund exceptional in-year growth for the 2025/26 academic year.

The Adult Skills Fund (ASF) fully funds or co-funds education and skills training for eligible adults aged 19 and above from pre-entry to level 3 including the Free Courses for Jobs (FCFJ) offer. FCFJs cover a wide range of sector subject areas including engineering, construction, health and social care and accounting. The government is investing more in FCFJ through the construction and engineering skills packages.

Providers in receipt of an ASF allocation from the Department for Work and Pensions may earn up to an additional 10% on top of their ASF allocation for over-delivery. They have the freedom and flexibility to determine how they use their ASF allocations to meet local needs and support learners.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent assessment she has made of the potential impact of further education colleges on supporting students not in employment, education or training.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

The government is investing nearly £9 billion in 16 to19 education in the 2026/27 academic year 2026/27. This will fund the increasing numbers of 16 to 19-year-olds taking part in education. Alongside this, the government is taking important steps to support young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) or at risk, with further education (FE) providers playing a central role.

We are strengthening the September Guarantee to improve transitions from school to post-16 education. This will give schools a greater role in identifying a post-16 place and the additional support that young people at risk of NEET need, working closely with FE providers. Pilots are testing how young people without a post-16 plan can be allocated a suitable place with wraparound support.

New Risk of NEET Indicator tools, enhanced data sharing between local authorities, schools, and FE providers, and improved attendance monitoring will enable earlier identification and intervention.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what consideration she has given to funding further education colleges on an in-year basis where student enrolments exceed forecast allocations.

Answered by Josh MacAlister - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

We recognise that where an institution makes a particularly significant expansion in student numbers in a single year, that can cause cost pressures. For that reason, we provide exceptional in-year growth funding for institutions that grow student numbers above a certain level. We are investing £87 million to fund exceptional in-year growth for the 2025/26 academic year.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of his Department's policies on jobs in the renewable energy sector.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The clean energy transition represents one of the UK’s largest opportunities for economic growth and high-quality job creation this decade.

In October 2025, we published the Clean Energy Jobs Plan which sets out the workforce needed to deliver our Clean Energy Superpower Mission, and how the government will work in partnership with industry and trade unions to deliver it. This highlights that the UK’s clean energy workforce could double by 2030, supporting up to 860,000 high quality jobs across every nation and region.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what discussions she has had with European counterparts on the development of international finance partnerships to support defence and security cooperation.

Answered by Lucy Rigby - Chief Secretary to the Treasury

Challenging times for global and European security call for novel solutions, which is why the UK is working with Finland, the Netherlands and other likeminded NATO allies on collective defence financing and procurement, exploring a new mechanism to support this by 2027.

Together, we can accelerate standardisation, expand industrial capacity and drive greater deterrence to meet our shared defence and security commitments.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support grassroots football clubs.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

The Government is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, should have access to and benefit from quality sport and physical activity opportunities, which is why we are investing £85 million into new and upgraded grassroots facilities through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme. Projects funded through the programme include new and upgraded artificial grass pitches, pitch maintenance equipment and floodlights, supporting football clubs across the country to increase access to sport.

Our programme delivery partner in England, the Football Foundation, plans their investment pipeline using Local Football Facility Plans (LFFPs), which are developed in partnership with local authorities so as to understand the needs of each community. The LFFP for Fylde can be found here: https://localplans.footballfoundation.org.uk/local-authorities-index/fylde/fylde-executive-summary/.

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure that the potential benefits of a potential Olympic bid in the north of England are distributed equitably across the region.

Answered by Stephanie Peacock - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)

London 2012 had a major socio-economic impact and left a lasting legacy for future generations, showing what hosting an Olympic and Paralympic Games can do for our country.

The North of England deserves the same level of ambition. It is central to the UK’s growth agenda and has the scale and economic assets to compete internationally. That is exactly why we want to explore what a Northern Olympics could mean, as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to drive transformational regeneration, job creation and infrastructure investment across the region.

The Government has therefore commissioned our expert arm’s length body, UK Sport, to carry out an initial strategic assessment examining whether it would be feasible for the UK to host an Olympic and Paralympic Games in the North of England in the 2040s.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department is making towards delivering 3,000 new primary school-based nurseries.

Answered by Olivia Bailey - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)

​​This government is boosting availability and access through the school‑based nursery programme, backed by £400 million capital investment to deliver tens of thousands of places by supporting school‑led provision and private, voluntary and independent providers and childminders operating from school sites, helping more families access funded childcare and giving children the best start in life.

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​We have already made a real impact, awarding £82 million in capital funding to 631 primary and maintained nursery schools, including three in Fylde. This investment will deliver over 11,000 new nursery places by September 2027, 5,000 of which were available from September 2025.

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​In Phase 3, local authorities are leading on developing multi-year funding proposals to create or expand school-based nurseries between 2027 and 2030, with the first places available from September 2027. This is a fundamental shift to prioritising local need, ensuring investment goes where childcare demand and disadvantage are greatest.

Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, if he will make an assessment of the economic impact of the extension to the deadline for the decision on granting a Development Consent Order to the Morgan-Morecambe transmission assets.

Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The application for development consent was assessed in the usual way against all relevant planning considerations. An extension to the deadline for deciding the application was announced on 14 May by written ministerial statement to Parliament. It would not be appropriate to comment further while the case remains live.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what progress her Department has made on recruiting 6,500 new expert teachers in key subjects.

Answered by Georgia Gould - Minister of State (Education)

The department has now achieved over 60% of our target to recruit 6,500 additional expert teachers by the end of this Parliament. There are 3,992 more expert teachers in secondary and special schools and colleges than in 2023/24.

The latest data shows that, in 2024/25, there were 2,346 more teachers in secondary and special schools and 1,646 more teachers in the statutory further education sector.

Additionally, our pipeline for school teachers is also growing, with 32,576 new entrants to initial teacher training in autumn 2025, up 13% from the previous year, and STEM entrants were up 22% compared to last year. This is also the first time the overall STEM target has been met since comparable statistics began in 2012/13.

Despite this great progress, we know there is more to do, and we are working at pace to deliver on our pledge. In February, alongside the Schools White Paper, we published our delivery plan setting out our planned interventions to attract, retain and develop more teachers. The delivery plan is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/every-child-achieving-and-thriving/6500-additional-teachers-delivery-plan-html-version.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much will be paid to the Rt hon. Member for Ilford North following his resignation as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office

Details of ministerial severance payments are published in the relevant department’s annual report and accounts.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, how many new homes have been built in (a) Fylde constituency, (b) Lancashire and (c) England since July 2024.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

My Department publishes a quarterly release entitled ‘Housing supply: Indicators of New Supply, England’, which includes estimates of new build starts and completions in England, Lancashire and in each local authority district. Statistics from the quarter starting July 2024 to the quarter ending December 2025 can be found in Live Table 253a on gov.uk here. This dataset covers new build dwellings only and should be regarded as a leading indicator of overall housing supply.

My Department also publishes an annual release entitled ‘Housing supply: net additional dwellings, England’, which is the primary and most comprehensive measure of housing supply. This includes estimates of new homes built in each local authority, in each financial year, to 2024-25 and can be found in Live Table 123 on gov.uk here. Figures at parliamentary constituency level are not centrally collected.

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will provide an estimate as to when the Medical Navy Persistent Operational Deployment System (NavyPODS) will be available for use by the Royal Navy.

Answered by Luke Pollard - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Medical Navy Persistent Operational Deployment System (NavyPODS) is currently in development as part of the Royal Navy’s wider efforts to enhance deployed medical capability and increase operational flexibility. Delivery timelines remain subject to ongoing assessment.

Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Regulatory Innovation Office in reducing regulatory approval times for emerging technologies.

Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)

The Regulatory Innovation Office works with regulators and government to cut approval times for game-changing tech. For example, RIOs AI Capability Fund supports regulator adoption of AI tools, streamlining their processes and speeding up decision making for novel technologies. To track success, we are working with regulators to set KPIs and milestones in RIOs first priority areas which, in collaboration with DBT, will be reviewed at regular intervals to drive performance across the regulatory system.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the proposed Growth Allowance within the ring-fencing reforms on the availability of finance for small and medium-sized enterprises across the UK.

Answered by Rachel Blake - Economic Secretary (HM Treasury)

This Government published the outcome of its review of the ring-fencing regime on 18 May, fulfilling the Chancellor’s commitment to uphold the regime while taking forward meaningful reform. This included plans to introduce a New Growth Allowance to enable the five ring-fenced banks to provide more productive funding to UK businesses and the real economy

Ring-fenced banks can already provide loans to most small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) under existing regulations but are prevented from offering more sophisticated financial products to UK businesses from their ring-fenced entity. The New Growth Allowance will be targeted towards ensuring that fast growing businesses can access the products and services they need from the ring-fenced body where the cost of financing is cheaper.

Banks will also be permitted to service and lend to a broader range of financial counterparties within the allowance, including to providers of scale-up capital. The reforms will also allow RFBs to fully participate in funding schemes guaranteed by UK Public Financial Institutions such as the British Business Bank, which will further unlock financing for schemes targeted towards SMEs.

The government will publish a consultation on the operation, level, and scope of the New Growth Allowance over the summer. A Statutory Instrument to deliver the changes will be laid once the Financial Services and Markets Bill has been enacted and as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help Newly Qualified Paramedics (NQPs) into work.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Decisions on the employment of newly qualified paramedics are a matter for individual National Health Service trusts which manage their recruitment at a local level, ensuring they have the right number of staff in place, with the right skill mix, to deliver safe and effective care.

As set out in the 10-Year Health Plan, we are working closely with NHS England, employers, and educators to improve transition into the workforce.

Social Security

Energy Conservation